Senior Night, moving into prime position for a playoff berth, the final home conference game of the season – Friday night couldn’t be much bigger for Polk County’s baseball program.
The Wolverines host Owen in a huge Western Highlands Conference matchup. Polk County currently sits at 5-5 in WHC play, a half-game behind Owen in the race for the league’s second 2A automatic playoff berth. A handful of scenarios and tiebreakers remain to be determined (see note at bottom), but what’s clear is that Polk County has to defeat Owen to be in the picture for that second berth.
With an 8-10 overall record entering the 6 p.m. game, the Wolverines could also remain alive for a 2A wild-card playoff berth, and more wins would help that outlook as well.
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“This is a big game for our program,” said Polk County head coach Ty Stott. “Getting into the playoffs would mean leaps and bounds for next season. It would be huge for next year’s team, a good experience.
“I think we are capable of stepping up for a big game.”
Polk County handed Owen (6-11, 6-5) a 4-2 loss earlier this season, a game in which Konner Scruggs scattered five hits in a complete-game effort. Scruggs will likely start Friday’s game, but Stott will also have Morgan Groves and Daniel Painter available with each having pitched little this week.
“We can do pretty much what we want with our pitching staff,” Stott said. “The thing is right now we’re not hitting. I think it’s something that could take off at any time, but we just may have to scratch out a 2-1 win.
“We’ve been hitting too many lazy fly balls, not enough hard line drives and ground balls. We’ve talked about really trying to take each at-bat and have a productive at-bat instead of trying to hit a home run. If we do that, it will truly have an impact.”
Seniors Mark Mazzilli and Bryce Martin have been the team’s offensive leaders throughout the season, and each will need contribute Friday if Polk is to win.
Owen and Polk County have traditionally been among the WHC’s dominant programs, and having to fight for third place overall in the league and the second playoff berth is unfamiliar territory for both. But Stott expects the Warhorses to be more than ready for the showdown.
He thinks the Wolverines will be as well.
“Owen is a big game kind of team, and we need to show we are, too,” Stott said. “The ball is on our corner and we can make our own fate. I think we’re ready.”
NOTE ON TIEBREAKER
If Polk County defeats Owen, but loses to Hendersonville next week, and Mountain Heritage closes its season with wins over Madison and Avery, all three schools would finish with a 6-6 record.
In that tie, Polk County would be 3-1 against the other two teams, with Mountain Heritage 2-2 and Owen 1-3. Based on the tiebreaking procedure in the NCHSAA Handbook, it looks as if Polk County would win the tiebreaker and get the final 2A automatic playoff berth.
The Handbook, actually, describes this exact scenario:
Teams A, B and C are tied for fourth in the conference standings with identical records. In games among the three, A was 3-1, B was 2-2 and C was 1-3. The tie is broken; A is fourth, B is fifth and C sixth.
